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Lutheran East Advances to Regional Final after OT Thriller

By T.J. Peatross, 03/14/17, 9:45PM EDT

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Senior Tyler Powell calmly made the first of three attempts at the free throw line before Malvern used their final timeout of the game in attempt to ice the shooter.

After sinking another pair with just 16 seconds left in regulation, Powell and his Lutheran East squad would go on to pull out a 69-64 win in overtime over Malvern to advance to their second consecutive regional final appearance.  

At First:

Malvern opened up the game on an 8-0 run on the back of duo Jaret Majestic, a Malone University commit, and 6'8 junior Mark Mayle. The one-two punch has been one of the top pairings in Division 4 over the last two seasons.

The two scored the first four field goals for the Hornets and Mayle would have a major impact on the defensive end as well, anchoring a Malvern zone that packed in the paint and forced Lutheran East to beat them from the perimeter.  

Controlling the pace, Malvern did an excellent job of taking care of the basketball up until the midway point of the first half.

Lutheran East junior Jordan Burge picked up his second foul with 3:45 to go in the second quarter but that didn't stop the 6'3 junior from sparking a run to bring his team back from a 14 point deficit.

Turning Point:

Burge drilled a triple late in the second that capped off an 11-2 run for the Falcons. Lutheran East converted turnovers  into easy transition opportunities on the other end and trailed by just three heading into the locker room following a buzzer beating layup by Maurico Tate.

Similar to the start of the game, Malvern made a conscious effort to feed Mayle to begin the third. The big fella knocked down a short range jumper and followed it up with a jump hook, keeping the difference at just three points.

It appeared as if the late quarter run by Burge and Tate woke up Powell. The senior knocked down one of his three triples in the second half and the team was able to obtain their first lead of the night with 6:09 remaining in the game.  

Majestic would one up Lutheran East with a go-ahead three that would set the stage for Powell's free-throws at the end of regulation. 

Despite the two teams trading  shots and leads throughout the extended overtime period, the difference would be when Mayle picked u his fifth and final foul, leaving 90 seconds for Burge and the Falcons to take advantage in the paint.

A technical foul called against Malvern would prove to be the icing on the cake and Lutheran East would hold on to advance to Friday's regional final contest against the winner of Warren JFK and McDonald.

Standout Performers:

Jordan Burge (Lutheran East) 6'3 WG '18 - Burge scored 15 of his team-high 26 points in the second half and overtime of Tuesday night's win. Pulling down 9 rebounds, the junior wing turned in one of his most complete games this season when it mattered the most. Burge used his strength to power through contact inside the paint and earn himself a few trips to the charity stripe. Still a developing shooter, Burge has continued to take strides in that department.

Mark Mayle (Malvern) 6'8 PF/C '18 - From the opening tip, Mayle was in attack mode on both ends of the floor as he finished with a monster 29 points and 13 rebounds.  Mayle used a solid pivot series on the low block to open up his jump hook. His combination of size, skill, and upside has garnered the interest of mid-major programs across the Midwest.

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